Standing in solidarity with the Palestinianians

 

From Zalina Ismail

Exactly 77 years ago, UN Resolution 181, also known as the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, was adopted by the UN general assembly on Nov 29, 1947.

It aimed to resolve the ongoing conflict between Jews and Arabs in Mandatory Palestine, then under British control.

It recommended the division of the territory into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem placed under international administration due to its religious significance. While Resolution 181 led to the establishment of the state of Israel, the Palestinian aspirations for statehood were not realised, and they have since faced displacement, occupation, and the systemic denial of their rights.

Each year on Nov 29, the world is reminded of the general assembly’s definition of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, which include the right to self-determination free from outside interference, the right to national independence and sovereignty, and the right to proper citizenship.

Remembering the Nakba

Today, the world remembers a history shaped not by the events in Gaza on Oct 7, 2023, but by the Nakba (catastrophe) in 1948 when approximately 15,000 Palestinian Arabs were killed and more than 750,000 were expelled or made to flee, at first by Zionist paramilitaries, and after the establishment of the state of Israel, by its military. By the end of the war, 78% of the total land area of the former Mandatory Palestine was controlled by Israel.

The Nakba is not merely a historical event but an enduring reality for Palestinians. Israel implemented policies aimed at consolidating its control over the land, which included the establishment of Jewish settlements. These began in areas seized during the 1948 war and expanded significantly after the Six-Day War in 1967.

In 2007, after Hamas gained control of Gaza, Israel imposed a land, air, and sea blockade on the territory, and created dire humanitarian conditions for those living in Gaza. There have been cycles of violence since the blockade began, with large-scale military operations in 2008-2009, 2012, 2014, and most recently in 2023. Each escalation has resulted in devastating casualties and destruction, disproportionately affecting civilians, including children.

Nov 29, 2024 serves as a reminder that close to six million Palestinians continue to remain as refugees. Hundreds of thousands of these refugees have experienced an additional forced displacement while thousands have been killed, and continue to be killed by the ongoing genocide in Gaza, amid a situation described by the UN secretary-general as a “humanitarian catastrophe”.

The human story of hope in Gaza

I am overwhelmed by the mass of information on Gaza, amazed by the number of humanitarian missions to Gaza and devastated by the carnage seen on TV. Sometimes it feels like an abstraction, almost impossible to grasp. That concept changed for me when I learned the story of one man and his family. Dr Hatem Abu Zaydeh is a Palestinian living in Gaza, married with five beautiful children. He was my PhD student in 2013 and later became an academic at Gaza Islamic University.

Unlike the other students from Gaza, he did not want to study the psychological impact of war on students. In his own words, “I want to provide hope for the children of Gaza.” It was a challenge and, for a while, we did make some inroads. We actually had a few Brain-Mind Centres set up in schools in Khan Younis and Gaza City.

Hatem wanted to nurture creativity and cognitive development in children. He developed tools suitable for use in the context of the harsh realities of life in Gaza. He wanted to create a sense of normalcy and sanctuaries for the children. The children are long gone and there is nothing there now except rubble.

The destruction of these centres epitomise the broader devastation of Gaza’s social and educational infrastructure. There are no longer any safe spaces for children. To me, Hatem’s work is a poignant reminder of what has been lost and replaced by destruction and despair.

The enduring legacy of the Nakba

Hatem is alone in a refugee camp. He is not sure where his wife and family are or even if they are still alive. Hatem embodies the enduring legacy of the Nakba. His displacement and separation from his family is reflective of the fragmentation and dislocation experienced by Palestinians for decades. He says “sometimes I cannot sleep, sometimes I cannot wake up. Death and destruction is everywhere. I can smell it.”

Many Palestinians, like Hatem, are descendants of those who were forcibly removed during the Nakba of 1948 which created the refugee crisis that persists today. To people like Hatem, the Nakba is not just a historical event but an ongoing reality, especially in Gaza, where generations of refugees continue to face marginalisation and violence.

To Hatem, the bombings, and current humanitarian crisis in Gaza reflect the systemic oppression that began with the Nakba and persists as a form of collective punishment and an attempt at erasure of the Palestinian people.

I feel so helpless. There is nothing I can do except read his messages that are few and far between. Yesterday he said: “I am alone. I am tired. I am still alive. Much to be thankful for.” For the past year, I learned of his daily struggles, from searching for food to the heartbreak of being separated from his family in the chaos. Suddenly, what seemed far away has become something so deeply personal and painfully real. His resilience and humanity have given me a perspective that transcends numbers and headlines.

Honouring the resilience of the human spirit

On Nov 29, 2024, I would like to invite you to join me in commemorating the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

Come and join me in honouring the resilience of the human spirit in the citizens of Gaza, and advocating for those who are still being denied the possibilities of health and security.

Let us hope and pray that we can rebuild and protect safe spaces for the children of Gaza and ensure a future free from conflict.

As we commemorate this day, let us not only remember the tragedies but commit ourselves to a future where resilience like Hatem’s is no longer necessary and where justice and dignity are universal rights. - FMT

Zalina Ismail is a former professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.